From work integrated learning to learning integrated work – A pedagogical model to develop praxis in nursing education

Abstract

The move from student to nurse has been described as difficult for newly registered nurses. Newly registered nurses' feelings of lacking competence can reduce the opportunity to develop professional competence. Entering the nursing profession requires a high degree of adaptation. The difference between the professional competence conveyed during education and the competence demanded in working life is substantial and needs to be taken seriously. The aim of this paper is to propose a model for developing professional competence. The theoretical discussion starts with a model showing processes newly registered nurses must manage to achieve a sense of competence. These processes are highlighted by discussing how they relate to praxis in the Aristotelian tradition, situated learning and Work Integrated Learning (WIL). Learning Integrated Work (LIW) is a pedagogical approach aiming to integrate scientific knowledge with practical knowledge, and to provide an analytical perspective where students have the opportunity to develop metacognitive skills and praxis by learning in and by clinical practice experiences. One way to achieve this is to learn from the knowledge and skills used when performing practical work. The aims of WIL and LIW are to identify both practical knowledge generated by nurses in the course of their professional activities and theoretical knowledge generated in the academy, and to elaborate an understanding constituting the essence of both theoretical and practical knowledge. By integrating theoretical and practical vocational knowledge, one promotes professionalization, including the ability to perform the expected tasks and to have a critical and development-oriented attitude in daily work.

Feedback and clinical practice improvement: A tool to assist workplace supervisors and students

“…For undergraduate nursing students, it is widely acknowledged that a theory practice gap exists (Jonsson et al, 2014, Scully, 2011, Wilson, 2008 and is often seen during clinical placement, highlighting an inconsistency between student's theoretical knowledge and it's practical application (Chan et al, 2011, Jonsson et al, 2014, Scully, 2011. While this is not directly reported in publications for radiation therapy students, it is acknowledged as an issue that impacts on clinical learning by a number of authors (Doughty and Hodgson, 2009, Nisbet and Matthews, 2011, Tang and Chow, 2007.…”

“…In undergraduate health care programmes students completing workplace integrated learning (also known as clinical placement) often experience a disparity between theory and practical application, and this referred to as a 'theory practice gap' (Chan et al, 2011, Jonsson et al, 2014, Scully, 2011. One contributing factor for this phenomenon is students' limited ability to engage with feedback and apply meaningful reflection to self-correct behaviours (Scully, 2011, Wells andMcLoughlin, 2014).…”

Pedagogical challenges in nurse education - a case study focusing on the completion rate in theoretical education at a Swedish University

“…WIL is both a way to organise vocational education and a strategy to give it specific content (Patrick et al 2008). WIL can serve as a pedagogical design to strengthen the nurse students' progress towards understanding the professional skills (Jonsson et al 2014).…”

The performance and confidence of clinicians in training in the analysis of ophthalmic images within a work‐integrated teaching model

“…15 This approach has been utilised in a variety of healthcare professional education programmes, with the specific advantage of improved work readiness. [16][17][18][19] Consequently, we have developed and implemented a novel teaching model at the Centre for Eye Health (CFEH) that encompasses practical training on disease diagnosis and management supplemented by advanced imaging and examination modalities such as OCT. By integrating students into a real world, work-integrated setting, students are trained in the utilisation and interpretation of OCT while also demonstrating its application in the diagnosis of ocular disease. 20 In the present study, we evaluated the effectiveness of our teaching model on student confidence and competence in the recognition and interpretation of OCT artefacts.…”